Mechanism for controlling the tension of ticker tape



April 17, 1928.

B. A. PROCTOR MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE TENSION OF TIOKER TAPE FiledMarch 4, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet l I .w W n a 54/20/1 /7. Practar.

April 17, 1928. 1,666,308

B. A. PROCTOR MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE TENSION OF TICKER TAPE FiledMarch 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Swventoz Barton A Hroc tor.

65 1; hi a l-fowl 00 April 17, 1928.

B. A. PROCTOR MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE TENSION OF TICKER TAPE FiledMarch 4. 192 6 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 am-uewfoz Barton A. Proctor. S1 hi5 mil?6w MOW Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

PATENT oFFicE.

BARTON PROCTOB, OI F NEW YORK, N. POBATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y

' mncnmsm ron. con'rnonmn'e I Application filed March This inventionrelates to-news projecting machines in general, and more especially tomechanism for controlling the feedof news projecting tape.

Among the objects of the present invention, it is aimed, to provide anew combination having a rewind roll, a driving mechanism for the rewindroll, a clutch for'connecting the rewind roll with the drivingmechanism, and means, controlled by the tension of the tape, foranchoring the rewind roll against actuation by said driving mechanism.

It is also an object of the present invention, to provide an improvedcombination whereby the jump transmitted to the tape by the starting andstopping of the ticker mechanism may be absorbed and prevented frombeing transmitted to the portion of the tape located in projectingposition, and whereby a rewind roll for winding up the tape afterprojection may be controlled by the jump absorbing mechanism to stoprotatingwhen the tape rests and to start ro-\ tating when the tapebegins to advance.

Specifically, the invention aims to provide a rewind coil, a motor foractuating said rewind coil, afriction clutch for connecting the rewindcoil with the motor, a

forming a-loop in the tape when the tape advances, means for operativelyconnecting the lever with the rewindrol1:to anchor the rewind rollagainst rotation with themotor v when the loop in the tape isdissipated, and 4 to release the rewind roll for rotation with the motorwhen the lever'is disposed in the loop-forming position relative to thetape.- Theseand other features, capabilities and advantages of theinvention will appear from the subjoined, detail description of onespecific embodiment thereof, illustrated in,

the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional diagrammaticview showing a complete news projecting machine equipped with thepresent improvements;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged. fragmental section showing the improved mechanismin position when the tape is advancing and the newind roll operating; LFig 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

lever, guides associated with said lever for;

THE TENSION OF TICKEB TAPE.

4, 1926. Serial No. 92,226.

- Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the Improved mechanism inposition when the tape is at rest and the rewind roll anchored againstoperation; i

Fig. 5 isian enlarged fragmental side elevatlon of the rewind roll,connected to a motor partly shown;

Flg. 6 is a section substantially on the line of Fig. 5;

F g. 7 is a detail on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a part of the rewind mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a'sectional end elevation of the part illustrated in Fig. 8.

The improvements constituting the present invention are illustrated asequipped on news pro ecting machines such as illustrated in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 82,295, filed January 19, 1926.

In such type of news projecting machines, the screen 1, as illustratedin Fig. 1, is supported in a screen housing 2 having a defleetingmirror, not shown, the housing 2 being preferably secured to a wall orthe like by means of brackets 4.

Below such screen housing 2, there is situated the projectingmachineproper, which consists essentially of a frame 5 having an upper platform6 and a lower platform 7. On the upper platform 6 there is formed ahousing 8 in one. end of which there is located the mirror .9 whichprojects the images received through the opening 10 in the housing 8 upthrough an opening in the bottom of the housing 2 to 'a mirror, notshown, from which it is projected onto the screen 1.

At the other end of the housing 8 on the platform 6 there is provided alamp casing 12 in which the lamp 13 is mounted. The 'rays from the lamp13 are projected by the condensing lens 14 to the mirror 15 and from themirror 15 deflected to the condensing lens 16. There is provided anopening adjacent to the condensing lens 16 over which there ispreferablyprovided a glass tape guide 17 to permit the tape T to passover the same, receive the rays from the lens housing 18 from which theimages are rojected to the mirror 9 and thereby dedected upward into thescreen housing 2.

In the present instance, see Fig. 3, there is attached to the casing 12a bracket 19 for the reel 20 to support the roll 21 of tape T. The tapeafter leaving the reel20 passes to the printing mechanism 22 andfromthere preferably passes over'a guide 23 at a position preferably aboveand to' the rear of the light opening formed in the casing 12. The topof the casing 12, as indicated in F1 3 at 24, is preferably cut away ashort istance and has a support 25 provided in the lower end of saidcut-away portion, directly above and engaging the tape guide 17.

The guide 23 is preferably composed of sheet metal and is looped at oneend to form. a guiding portion 23 extending over the;

cutaway portion 24 and secured at its other end to the top of the casing12. The tape 'l after leaving the printing mechanism first passes overthe extended curved or looped portion 23, and then through the cutawayportion'24 to the support 25, the edges 24 and 24 of the cutaway portion24 forming guides for the ta e T in its passage to the support'25. Proerably as shown, the loop portion 23 also terminates a short distance ito the rear of the support 25.

After leaving the guide 23, the tape is deflected out of its path ofmovement by the bent'or looped end 26 of the rod or lever L preferablycomposed of wire, and from there passes to the support 25 and then downover the uide 17 to the guide roller 27 supported on t e bracket 28secured to the frame 29 of the rewind roll 30. From the roller 27 thetape passes to the guide roller 31 mounted in an extension of thebracket 28, and then to the reel 32 of the rewind roll to be woundthereon. I

The reel 32 is" fixed on the shaft 33 and has secured to the sidethereof the toothed wheel 34. The shaft 33 extends through the v boss 35formed on the frame 57. Inside of the frame 57 the shaft 33 has fixedthereto the friction disc 36 which is preferably faced v with a fibrousfriction plate 37.

.. and loosel Loosely mounted on the shaft 33, which is journaled in thebearing 38 and boss 05, there is provided the worm Wheel 39 in mesh withthe worm 40 on the shaft 41 of the motor 42. The worm wheel 39 isoperatively connected by means of the pins 43 and 44 to drive thefriction disc 45 which abuts the friction face 37 engaging the frictiondisc 36. I To the outer face of-the friction disc 45, mounted on theshoulder 46 of such friction disc 45. there is provided the fibrousfriction shield 48 which is resil ently held in engagement with thefriction disc 45 by means of the spring clips 49, 50 and 51 secured tothe friction disc 36 by the pins 52, 53 and 54.

It will thus be seen that the motor 42 drives the worm 40 through itsshaft 41,

which worm 40 in turn drives the gear 39 in turn to drive the frictiondisc 45, and this disc 45 through the friction faces 37 and 48, and theclips 49, 50 and 51 frictionally drives the friction disc 36, which disc36 by being fixed to the toothed wheel 34 and reel 32 in turn drives orrotates the toothed wheel 34 and reel 32. a

In the operation of this rewind roll, it is intended to drive the motor42 continuously relative tothe advance of the tape T, and to providemeans for stopping the reel 32 when the tape T is arrested, as aninstance, when no quotations are being printed on the ticker tape.Toprovide for this temporary arrest of the reel 32, there is providedthe pawl 55 pivotally mounted on the pin 56 secured to the housing 57 ofthe rewind roll by the brackets 58 and 59, the short arm of which hasformed thereon a finger 60 topooperate with the teeth 61 of the toothedsirable to pivotally connect it to the lower end of the bracket 63 at64, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the looped end 26 of the lever Lwill normally extend downward due to its pivotal connection with thebracket.63 and the weight of the link 62 and pawl 55, so that the loopedend 26 will normall maintain or impinge a portion of the tape 'l againstthe support 25 when the tape T is slack, as indicated in Fig. 2.

It will also be seen that the looped end 26 projects a suficientdistance so thatthe guide 23 will obstruct its upward movement should itbe raised, as indicated in Fig. 4, in which position it will maintain orimpinge a portion of the tape T in engagement with the guide 23. Theoperation of the projecting machine proper and the mechanism fordissipating the jump imparted to the tape T by the printing mechanism22, will operate substantially as follows: 7

When the printing mechanism or ticker 22 starts'to o erate, it isdesirable also to start the operatlon of the motor 42. With suchprinting mechanisms, the tape T will only be fed, forward while theprinting mechanism operates. In other words, if no quotations or thelike are being transmitted, the ticker is at rest. In the embodimentillustrated. the motor 42 will continue to operate even though theticker 22 is at rest. When the ticker 22 is at rest, and the motor 42 isoperating, it will draw the tape-T substanits tially taut so that itwill engage the looped will be raised to depress the finger 60 of thepawl 55 into engagement with the teeth 61 of the toothed wheel 34.Thereupon, the toothed wheel 34 and the thereto attached reel 32 andfriction disc 36, will be anchored against rotation with the frictiondisc A5 and permit the friction disc to slip relative to the frictiondisc 36.

By so anchoring the reel 32 against rotation, the rewinding action ofthe reel 32 will be stopped immediately after the ticker mechanismstops.

Thereupon, when the ticker again begins to operate, it will firstrelieve the tension in the tape T, form a loop, as indicated in Fig. 2,and permit the looped end 26 of the lever L to descend so that it willrest on the tape T and cause the tape T to hug the support 25, forming afriction creating surface. By means of the friction caused between thelooped end 26, tape T and support 25, a retarding action will beexercised on the tape T, forming a frictional point of contactsuflicient to permit a loop being maintained between the guide portion23 and the looped end 26, as indicated in Fig. 2, that is, so localizethe loop that its slack will not continue beyond the support 25, so thatwhatever jumps are transmitted to the tape T by the printing impulses ofthe printing mechanism will be absorbed by the loop thus formed andprevent the transmission of the jumps beyond the support 25. In turn, asthe ticker starts to operate. and permits the lever L to descend, itwill lower the link 62 and therewith the long arm of the pawl towithdraw the finger out of engagement with the teeth 61 of the toothedwheel 34 to permit the friction disc 36 again to be rotated with thefriction disc 45, and thereby again rotate the reel 32 to continue there winding action.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that the actuation of the jumpabsorbing mechanism, to wit, the lever L, is operatively connected tocontrol the starting and stopping of the rewind roll. By so combiningthese two mechanisms, the starting and stopping of the rewind roll.which is determined to a certain extent by the starting and stopping ofthe ticket mechanism, will be effected by a very simple constructionwhich can be produced at comparatively low cost;

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. The combination with a tape, of a projecting mechanism having avertically extending projecting position, a printing mechanism forprinting news items on said tape and feeding the tape forward in avertical direction across said projecting position when printing, alever having one end resting on said tape between said printingmechanism and said projecting position to form a loop in the tape whenthe tape is being fed, a rewind roll for di;awing the tape past saidprojecting position and for winding up the tape as it is being fedandtaking up the slack in said tape to raise said lever when theprinting mechanism is at rest, a driving friction member, a drivenfriction member secured to-said rewind roll and facing said drivingmember to be engaged thereby, a second lever cooperating with saidrewind roll, and a link connecting said second lever with said firstlever, said first lever being actuatable by said tape when the slack istaken up in said tape to actuate said link in turn to actuate saidsecond lever to anchor said rewind roll "against actuation with saidmotor.

ing mechanism for printing news items on i said tape and feeding thetape forward over said supports to said projecting position, whenprinting, a lever having one end resting on said tape between saidsupports to form a loop in the tape when the tape is being fed, a rewindroll for causing the tape to pass said projecting position and forwinding up the tape as it is being fed and taking up the slack in saidtape to raise said lever when the printing mechanism is at rest, amotor, a friction clutch for causing said rewind roll to be driven withsaid motor, and means operatively connected to said lever to controlsaid friction clutch;

3. The combination with a tape, of two spaced apart supports, aprojecting mechanism having a projecting position, a printing mechanismfor printing news items on said tape and feeding the tape forward oversaid supports to said projecting position, when printing, a lever havingone end resting on said tape between said supports to form a loop in thetape when the tape is a being fed, a rewindroll for causing the tape ingsaid rewind roll to be driven with said motor, and means for operativelyconnecting said lever with said rewind roll whereby the actuation ofsaid lever when the printing mechanism is at rest will anchor saidrewind roll against actuation with said motor.

4:; The combination with a tape, of two spaced' apart supports, aprojecting machanism having a projecting position, a printing mechanismfor printing news items on said tape and feeding the tape forward oversaid supports to said projecting position, when printing, a lever havingone end resting on said tape between said supports to form a loop in thetape when the tape being fed, a rewind roll for causing the tape to passsaid projecting position and for winding up the tape as it is being fedand for taking up. the slack in said tape to actuate said lever when theprinting mechanism is at rest, a motor for actuating said rewind roll,and means operatively associated with said lever for causing said rewindroll to be stopped.

5. The combination with a tape, of two spaced apart supports, aprojecting mechanism having a projecting position, a printing mechanismfor printing news items on said tape and feeding the tape forward oversaid supports to said projecting position,

when printing, a lever having its free end resting on said tape betweensaid supports, a rewind roll for causing the tape to pass saidprojectingposition and for winding up the tape as it is being fed permitting thelever to be depressed as long as the printing mechanism operates andtaking up the slackin said tape to raise said lever when the printingmechanism comes to rest, a motor for actuating said rewind roll, andmeans operatively associated wlth said lever .for causing said rewindroll to be stopped when said lever is raised and to cause said rewindroll to be actuated when said lever is depressed. v

6. The combination with a tape, of two spaced apart supports, aprojecting mechanism having a projecting position, a printingmechanismfor printing news items on said tape and feeding the tape forward oversaid supports to said projecting position, when printing, a lever havingits free-end resting on said tape between said supports, a rewind rollfor causing the tape to pass said projecting position and for winding upthe tape as it is being fed and permitting the lever to be depressed aslong'as the printing mechanism operates and for takin up the slack insaid tape to raise said ever when the printing mechanism comes to rest,a' motor, a friction disc fixed to rotate with said motor, a secondfriction disc fixed to said rewind roll and engaging said first frictiondisc, a toothed wheel connected to said amazes rewind roll, a pawlcooperating with said toothed wheel, and .a link connecting said pawl tosaid lever. whereby the depression of said levenwill release said pawlfrom said toothed wheel and whereby the elevation of said lever willcause. said pawl to engage said toothed wheel and thus anchor saidrewind roll against rotation with said motor permitting the frictiondiscs to slip relative to one another.

7. The combination with a. tape, of two spaced apart supports, aprojecting mechanismhaving a projecting 'position, a printing mechanismvfor printing news items on said tape for feeding theta'pe forward oversaid supports to said projecting position, when printing a lever havingitsfree end restin'gon sai tape between said supports,

a rewind roll for causing the tape to pass said projecting position andfor winding up the tape'as it is being fed and permitting the lever tobe depressed as long as the printing mechanism operates and for takingup the slack in said tape to raise said lever when the printingmechanism comes to rest, a motor, a friction disc fixed to rotate withsaid motor, a second friction disc fixed to said rewind roll andengaging'said first friction disc, means for anchoring said rewind rollagainst actuation with said motor there by causing the friction discs toslip relative to one another, and means operatively connecting saidlever with said anchoring means whereby the depression of said leverwill disconnect said anchoring means and whereby the elevation of saidlever will cause said anchoring means to lock said rewind roll againstactuation with said motor.

8. The combination with a tape, of a projecting mechanism havinga-projecting position, a printing mechanism for printing news items onsaid tape and feeding the tape to said projecting position whenprinting, two spaced apart supports between said printing mechanism andsaid projecting position, a lever having its free end resting on saidtape between said supports to form a loop in the tape when the tape isbeing fed whereby the jump transmitted to the tape by said print-ingmechanism will be absorbed by said loop and prevented from beingtransmitted to the-portion of the tape disposed in said projectingposition, a re- Ill) wind roll for maintaining the tape smooth whenpassing said projecting position and lever is raised and to permit saidrewind roll to be actuated with said motor when said lever is depressed.

9. The combination with a tape, of a projecting mechanism having aprojecting position, a printing mechanism for printing news items onsaid tape and feeding the tape to said projecting position whenprinting, two spaced apart supports between said printing mechanism andsaid projecting position, a lever having its free end resting on saidtape between said supports to form a loop in the tape when the tape isbeing fed whereby the jump transmitted to the tape by said printingmechanism will be absorbed by said loop and prevented from beingtransmitted to the portion of the tape disposed in said projectingposition, a rewind roll for maintaining the tape smooth when passingsaid projecting position and for winding up the tape after it leaves theprojecting mechanism, permitting the lever to 'be depressed as long asthe printing mechanism operates and for taking up. the slack in saidtape to raise said lever when the printing mechanism comes to rest, amotor, a friction disc fixed to rotate with said motor, a secondfriction disc fixed to rotate with said -rewind roll and engage saidfirst-mentioned friction disc, meansfor anchoring said re- 'wind rollagainst actuation with said motor 1 thereby causing the friction discsto slip relative to one another, and means operatively connecting saidlever with said anchoring means whereby the depression of said leverwill disconnect said anchoring ,means and the elevation of said leverwill cause said anchoring means to lock said rewind roll againstactuation with said motor.

10. The combination with a tape, of a projecting mechanism having a proecting position, a printing mechanism for printing news item on saidtape and feeding the tape to said projecting position when printing. twospaced apart supports between said printing mechanism and saidprojecting position, a lever having its free end resting on said tapebetween said supports to form a. loop in the tape when the tape is beingfed whereby the jump transmitted to the tape by said printing mechanismwill be absorbed by said loop and prevented from being transmitted tothe portion of the tape disposed in said projecting position, a rewindroll for maintaining the tape smooth when passing ,said projectingposition and for winding up the tape after it leaves the projectingmechanism, permitting the lever to be depressed as long as the printingmechanism operates and fortaking up the slack in said tape to raise saidlever when the printing mechanism comes to rest, a motor, a frictiondisc fixed to rotate with said motor, a second friction disc fixed torotate with said rewind roll and engage said fir tmentioned frictiondisc, a toothed wheel connected to said rewind roll, a pawl co-opcratingwith said toothed wheel, and a link connecting said pawl to said leverwhereby the depression of said lever will release said pawl from saidtoothed wheel and whereby the "elevation of said lever will cause saidpawl to engage said toothed wheel and thus anchor the rewind rollagainstrotation with said motor permitting the friction discs to slip relativeto one another.

11. The combination with a ticker having a printing mechanism forprinting news items. on a'tape and a feeding means for imparting afeeding impulse to advance the tape after each printing impression, of aproject-ing mechanism, a support located between said projectingmechanism and said feeding means and spaced from said feeding means, afinger adapted to engage the tape to deflect the tape out of its path ofmovement and form a loop in said free space, a re-wind red for drawingthe tape past said projecting mechanism and for winding up the tape asit is being delivered, and friction drive means for actuating saidre-wind reel, said drive means cooperating with said feeding means tocreate suflicient tension in said tape when the operation of said tickerfeeding means is discontinued while said re-wind reel continues tooperate so that the slack in said tape is taken up and thereupon saidlever raised, and means operatively associated with said lever forcausing said re-wind reel to be arrested when said lever is raised.

12. The combination with a ticker having a printing mechanism forprinting news items on a tape, of a projecting mechanism, means forimparting a feeding impulse to advance the tape towards said projectingmechanism after a given printing impression, there hang a space formedbetween said feeding means and said projecting mechanism, a leveradapted to engage the tape and deflect it into said space to form aloop, a re-wind reel for win ding up the tape as it is delivered throughsaid projecting mechanism, friction drive means for actuating saidre-wind reel, said re-wind reel being free to slip relative to saiddrive means to compensate for the increasing speed caused by thegradually increasing diameter of the re-wind reel, said drive means alsocooperating with said feeding means.

to create sufiicient tension in said tapewhen the operation of saidticker feeding means is discontinued to cause said lever to be raised,and means operatively associated with said lever for causing saidre-wind reel to be arrested when said lever is raised.

13. The combination with a ticker having a printing mechanism forprinting news items on a tape,-of a projecting mechanism, means f r impr mg a feeding impul e to said tape after a given printing impression toadvance said tape to said projecting mechanism, there being a free spacebetween said projecting mechanism and said feeding means, a lever fordeflecting the tape into said free space, a re-Wind reel, friction drivemeans for actuating said re-wind reel to wind up the tape as it isdelivered from said projecting mechanism, said re-wind reel being freeto slip relative to said drive means to compensate for the increasedspeed 1,eae,sos

transmitted to said tape by'the gradually increasing diameter of saidre-wind ree said drive means cooperating with said feeding means to.create sufficient tension in said tape to actuate said lever when saidfeeding means is stopped, and means operatively associated with saidlever for causing said re-wind reel to be arrested when said lever isactuated by said tape.

BARTON A. PROCTOR.

